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Why Boys Fail

Boys are falling behind in school. The world has become more verbal; boys haven’t. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the biggest culprits are not video games, pop culture, or female-dominated schools biased toward girls. The real problem is that boys have been thrust into a bewildering new school environment that demands high-level reading and writing skills long before they are capable of handling them. The gap between male and female achievement has reached the college level, where only 40 per cent of graduates next year will be male. This doesn’t just mean fewer male doctors and lawyers, it also means fewer men in the careers that previously did not require post-high school degrees but do now. Why Boys Fail: Saving Our Sons from an Educational System That’s Leaving Them Behind examines the roots and repercussions of this problem and spells out the educational, political, social and economic challenges we face as we work to end it. Amidst the alarming proof of failure among boys — around the world — there are also inspiring case studies of schools where something is going right. Each has come up with realistic ways to make sure that every student — male and female — has the tools to succeed in school and later in life. Educators and parents alike will take heart in these promising developments, and heed the book’s call to action. (AMACOM Books)